The power of survivor testimonies resonates with many women especially with the advent of high-profile sexual assault cases against Harvey Weinstein, Jeffrey Epstein, R. Kelly; with their testimonies, women can tell their stories, confront their rapists’
narratives, and inspire others to do the same. Specifically, Jeffrey Epstein raped and subjugated numerous women by using his power and authority against them: “many of his survivors were underage, there were countless others who were 18 to 23, a group of women who have been reluctant to come forward because, despite the ordeal they went through, they are ashamed and believe that the public doesn’t look at them as victims at all” (Brown 2019). Epstein chose women he could exploit without fear of consequence.
Yet many courageous women started to share their stories about Epstein and exposed him as a predator to the world. Marijke Chartouni recalls Epstein’s attack:
‘I think I just kind of froze, I was just so confused, ‘what was going on?’ I don’t know where I am and there are staff members there, they are asking
very unusual questions. [Rena] initiated the assault. I just disassociated. I remember thinking: ‘I’ve never done this before, what’s going on, I just ...
don’t know.’ […] An assistant called her a few days later and told her Epstein wanted to see her again. She declined and never returned. ‘I just pretended it didn’t happen. And I haven’t talked about it since.’” (Brown 2019)
Chartouni encountered Epstein at his office where he sexually abused her. Her first-hand account offers insight into her confusion and detachment during the attack made by Epstein, allowing the audience to consider exactly what she went through during one of her most vulnerable and emotional experiences. She also provides an account of her subsequent refusal to speak about what happened to her afterwards, further elaborating on the trauma that she endured as a result of Epstein’s malice. Chartouni’s statement, just like many others who came forward about Epstein, illustrate the effects of sexual violence against women and the ways in which women persevere despite it. Similarly, Kiki Doe shares her own story about Epstein. During an interview about her experiences, she states: “’I mean, imagine having to sort of re-invite this trauma into your life every time that you retell the story,’ explains Doe. ‘[…] and you're sharing some of the most intimate trauma experiences of your life, that continue to affect you’” (Easton 2020).
Once Doe shares her personal pain, she must share it over and over again with audiences.
She reveals that the constant discussion about her rape reopens old wounds and reopens the wound of sexual assault. This survivor shares her agony so that other women are encouraged to speak out and give their side of the story and to confront their attackers.
Chartouni, Doe, and many other women came forward about Epstein, displaying
immense bravery and strength. Many sexual assault victims may decide not to come forward for fear of reliving one of the most traumatizing events of their lives or for fear of not being believed.
Throughout Lolita, Humbert maintains complete control over the narrative and diminishes Lolita’s presence. With this novel, the reader can gleam the atrocities
committed by a predator and reveal the genuine traumas they inflict on their victim. The reader can also see the potential ways that Lolita becomes the novel’s heroine due to her bravery in the face of adversity. Psychoanalysis and trauma theory are insufficient to support an accurate, in-depth analysis of Lolita or salvage her narrative. Feminists contend that Freudian theory aggregates women into oppression. According to Freud, women lack and are essentially different from men, affirming their lesser position in the gender power dynamic. Trauma theory also fails to account for the recovery of Lolita’s lost narrative by sharing the focal point with Humbert and his atrocities. A
psychoanalytic feminist perspective allows the reader to free Lolita from the trappings of Humbert’s narrative and control, thereby reclaiming her repressed identity and redefining her existence. Feminist writers defy phallocentrism in psychoanalysis and topple gender binaries that uphold the patriarchy with their combined efforts. In response, Cixous, claims that, “Woman must write her self: must write about women and bring women into writing, from which they have been driven away as violently as their bodies” (Cixous 242). Men force women from their pens, as well as their bodies; yet women writing promotes women’s ability to command both. Cixous’s works demonstrate a call to action, inspiring women to write and reclaim themselves. By linking Nabokov’s novel with Cixous feminist works, we can recover Lolita’s body and voice from her malevolent
captor. Furthermore, Cixous’s theories also encourage a modern investigation into the novel, which inspires a revisioning and retelling of Humbert’s infamous narration to focalize attention on Lolita and her story instead. As I have shown, contemporary film adaptations, through a revitalization of the text through Lolita’s point of view,
demonstrate how she can rescue herself and fashion a new, visceral identity. This type of textual analysis brings Lolita to the forefront of our conversation regarding brutality against women, poignantly connecting her to the MeToo movement. Nabokov published Lolita approximately sixty-five years ago and, to date, this novel remains a testament to the importance of the female voice in the face of male violence against women. Today, more than ever, women are coming to the forefront to show the importance of their voices, share their stories with other women and the world, and make a stand against sexual violence.
Chapter 5: Girl, I Believe You: Illuminating Survivor Testimonies to Mend the Cycle of Sexual Trauma
Nabokov’s Lolita is a controversial work that inspires many different readings.
Most importantly, Nabokov uses Humbert’s memoir to critique his treatment of Lolita, prompting an important discussion about the treatment of women in literature and in society. Psychoanalysis and trauma theory are insufficient lenses to help Lolita climb out from her captivity. Yet, with psychoanalytic feminist criticism, Lolita can liberate herself from Humbert’s manipulative narrative and subvert her subjection. It is crucial to retrieve Lolita from the text and to help her tell her own story so that she can thrive as a fully formed woman within and beyond the confines of the text. Feminist critical theory, as I have demonstrated, can also be applied to modern culture. Today, sexual assault is a prevalent topic and many survivors still struggle against their predators, the stigma of sexual violence, and expressing themselves. However, by reshaping the perception of survivors and providing them with an opportunity to write their own stories, they can start healing and trigger a new trend in the fight against sexual violence against women.
Television and film take the forefront of the march to kindle cognizance about sexual assault throughout society that is unmatched, especially after the advent of the MeToo movement and attention to the awareness platform; with their medium, writers and directors bring the survivors to the forefront, support them as they come forward and claim their powerful narrative back from their abusers, inspire others to come forward and stand together as a community, and help incite change with their testimonies.